Fagaloa pair jailed for sexual violation of a relatives wife

APIA: THURSDAY 26 MARCH 2015: Chief Justice Patu Tiava’asu’e Falefatu Sapolu has acknowledged the good report submitted by the Probation’s Office on Uili Kalolo and Pati Matau, but believes the seriousness of their offence warrants custodian sentences.

In mitigation, Court highlighted the good report by the Probation’s office on the defendant’s character and circumstances surrounding their actions after the offence.

The defendants not only apologized, paid a fine to the village council and have reconciled with the family of the complainant.

The Court also heard that what the defendant did was out of character, but the Court did not put much weight on the complainant’s request to withdraw the charges.

Both defendants were sentenced to serve time at Tafa’igata prison after the Court perused the information on the offence.

The defendants were charged with unlawful entry and sexual violation and the victim is the wife of one of the defendant’s cousins.

Kalolo was charged with 2 counts of illegal entry and one count of sexual violation and he was sentenced to 6 years and 10 months in prison.

Mata’u was charged with 1 count of illegal entry and 1 count of unlawful sex and was sentenced to 4 years and 2 months imprisonment.

The Court also made an order to deduct the times the defendants were under police custody from their sentence.